Enlarge imageAMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Several leading Dutch politicians have been threatened with death since the killing of a filmmaker critical of Islam, media reports.
Friday’s mass-circulation De Telegraaf said those threatened included Ayaan Hirsi Ali, a Somali refugee who is a prominent member of the VVD liberals, right-wing politician Geert Wilders, Immigration Minister Rita Verdonk and Amsterdam Mayor Job Cohen.
Filmmaker Theo van Gogh was repeatedly stabbed after being shot as he cycled to work in Amsterdam on Tuesday. His throat was slit and a five-page letter suggesting a "radical Islamic" motive was pinned to his body with a knife.
A 26-year-old with dual Moroccan and Dutch nationality, identified by the media as Mohammed B., was arrested for the killing that revived memories of the murder of anti-immigration populist Pim Fortuyn by an animal rights activist in 2002.
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Justice Minister Piet Hein Donner said on Thursday the letter on the victim was a "direct warning" to Hirsi Ali, who worked with Van Gogh on a film accusing Islam of encouraging violence against women and describes herself as an ex-Muslim.
"Dear Mrs Hirshi Ali (sic). Since you stepped into the political arena in the Netherlands you have been constantly busy terrorising Muslims and Islam with your remarks," said a text of the letter published on the website of the Volkskrant daily.
The letter said Dutch politics was dominated by Jews and accused VVD parliamentary leader Jozias van Aartsen as viewing "non-Jews as non-people" and Amsterdam Mayor Cohen of following an ideology which allowed Jews to lie against non-Jews.
Another letter found with the suspect said: "To the hypocrites I say, wish death or shut your mouth."
Dutch news agency ANP quoted Jan Peter Plasman, the suspect’s lawyer, as calling the publication of the letters "outrageous and disturbing" and said it ran counter to good legal practice.
"A small group of radical Muslims are forcing us to take measures which could have effects for well-intentioned citizens," Justice Minister Donner and Interior Minister Johan Remkes wrote in a letter to parliament.
Cohen, police and prosecutors were due to address a news conference on Friday morning.
De Telegraaf said both Hirsi Ali and Wilders, an outspoken maverick seen as a new Fortuyn, had been taken to safe houses. Both had been repeatedly threatened in recent months. A man was sentenced to jail last month for threats against Hirsi Ali.
The newspaper said Mohammed B. was part of a Dutch brigade of Islamic martyrs, who it was feared had made preparations for attacks on politicians they saw as "enemies of Islam".
It said Wilders had received hate mail in recent days also threatening Immigration Minister Verdonk, who has drawn fire for plans to expel failed asylum seekers and force immigrants to learn Dutch and attend compulsory integration courses.
The newspaper said it had received a telephone threat against mayor Cohen and other leading figures.
